Relevant Parts

Your iPhone 4 rear cover may have either two #000 Phillips screws or Apple's 5-Point "Pentalobe" screws (second image). Check which screws you have, and ensure you also have the correct screwdriver in order to remove them.

Remove the two 3.6 mm Pentalobe or Phillips #000 screws next to the dock connector.

During reassembly, we recommend you replace the 5-point screws with equivalent Phillips screws. Our Liberation Kit provides the tools and screws needed to replace the Pentalobe screws with Phillips screws.

The 5-Point Screwdriver should only be used once, as it has the potential to strip the screws.

Use the clear plastic pull tab to gently lift the battery out of the iPhone.

Do not remove the plastic tab from the iPhone.

You may need to use a plastic opening tool to loosen the adhesive under the battery.

Remove the contact clip from the iPhone.

Before reconnecting the battery connector, be sure the contact clip (shown in red) is properly positioned next to the battery connector.

Before reassembly, be sure to clean all metal-to-metal contact points on the pressure contact as well as its contact point on the rear panel with a de-greaser such as windex. The oils on your fingers have the potential to cause wireless interference issues.

Before reassembly, be sure to clean all metal-to-metal contact points on the dock connector cable cover with a de-greaser such as windex. The oils on your fingers have the potential to cause wireless interference issues.

Use a plastic opening tool to lift the speaker enclosure assembly out of the case, being sure not to damage the EMI fingers on the attached Wi-Fi antenna.

Remove the speaker enclosure assembly.

Before reinstalling the speaker enclosure assembly's screws, be sure the Wi-Fi grounding fingers are installed below the lip in the iPhone's metal case as seen in the third picture.

Before reassembly, be sure to clean all metal-to-metal contact points between the grounding fingers of the Wi-Fi antenna and the case of the iPhone with a de-greaser such as windex or isopropyl alcohol. The oils on your fingers have the potential to cause wireless interference issues.

Starting near the cellular antenna cable, use the edge of a plastic opening tool to peel the antenna off the speaker enclosure. Make sure you insert the plastic opening tool under the plastic the antenna is mounted on, not the metal plate.

Continue peeling the cellular antenna off the speaker enclosure, being careful not to rip the gold bracket attached to one of its edges.

Remove the cellular antenna.

When installing a new cellular antenna, be sure to slide the gold bracket over the ear molded into the speaker enclosure before sticking the antenna down.

My speaker was blown, just out of warranty. Apple wanted $199 to replace my phone. Bought the speaker enclosure, used your guide, put it all back together, and everything works perfectly! You save me a bunch of money! Great pics and instructions!

This is not a mere DIY guide but it is also an ethical handbook. You provide a boost to people's confidence, so that they can overcome their limits, as they are encouraged to overcome those technical barriers that huge companies (such as Apple) would like to be insurmountable. Furthermore, and maybe more important, you aim to reduce waste and excessive use of natural and human resources.

using something like the 18-compartment tray will GREATLY help with this one; there are over a dozen groups of parts. For re-assembly having a digital calipers to measure the 2.4 vs the 2.6mm screws also helps greatly.

My method for hardware management during delicate phone surgery is to take and print out on 8.5"x11' paper, one or more pictures of the open phone in various stages of disassembly, and then tape the screws to the appropriate spots on the pictures. Also write numbers on the pictures next the screws to indicate the order in which you removed them.

I've changed some iPod screens as well and that has been the least pleasant experience so far. Glue and the main connector that has to be unwrapped and connected from the rear where you have no feel or control where it belongs.

Couldn't even get both screws out of the bottom of the case. One was easy and other refuses to budge. Screws so small I can't see if it is turning or screw driver is properly seated. Sad I too have done screen replacements on other phones. Don't know any secrets to get the screw out

I also have a problem with seeing what is happening with some of those tiny little screws and parts. For other projects that I do, I use an Opti-Visor. It slips over your head and provides 10x magnification. ( You can find them on Amazon).

Yeah, it adds cost to the project and you would have to wait for delivery, but it sure makes a world of difference in seeing what you are working with / on.

On an early iPhone 4 I found that the #000 Phillips bit included in the 54 Bit Driver Kit didn't actually fit the screws. However the JIS #000 also in the kit did fit quite well. This is due to the JIS bits "thinner" design to prevent camming out of the slot. Otherwise everything went well. Looking forward to replacing the battery in my other phone that has the pentalobe screws. Glad I got the 54 Bit kit!

At the very last second before insertion, the second new screw for the bottom popped out of my pliers! I dont' want to use the old ones, but I don't want to leave it with one screw. Can I get a replacement screw?

Otherwise it went together fine, and I figured out for myselkf that the contact needs to be bent,,,

What does the park that is gold and next to the 4.8mm screw for the antenna? Looks like I am missing that part and almost positive that is why I can't pick up or connect to any wifi signals. I have the screw and the antenna from another phone that is working and tried it on the broken phone and still doesn't work. Only thing different is that gold metal piece to the left of that 4.8 mm screw. Can I buy that part? how do I attach it?

Remove the single 2.5 mm Phillips screw securing the battery connector to the logic board- for me this Phillips screw won't budge from its place have tried all the phillips combinations 000, 00, 0, 1 and the straight /slotted 1.5 mm but nothing. can some help me please purchased a replacement battery for my iPhone 4 but not able to do it just because of this screw.

I didn't need to remove the battery !! why would you take the battery away, the motor can be removed easily with the battery in place, and the whole process would take less than 2 minutes if you exclude the battery steps

I have trouble with the screw: I bought my used and now opened it for the first time. The screw is totally messed up, I can't unscrew it because the screwdriver doesn't fit in the screw/doesn't unscrew it. What can I do?

I've tried three different #000 drivers but they don't fit this screw. Stuck now. Also blows my confidence about proceeding because even if I do get this off.... I see some even smaller Phillips head screw further along in the process

There is a small black L-shaped bracket of some sort that tits between the battery connector and the motherboard socket, with a loop on one corner that sits betwen the riserand the battery connector. Remove this now, and do not forget to re install it on assembly.

When reattaching this bracket make sure your Battery ribbon is already tucked underneath the battery with only the minimum clearance required. Then make sure the brackets overhang is over the battery ribbon. Dont try to slide it under the Ribbon.

When removing this L shaped piece, it should be shown ON CAMERA where it came from and the exact position it was in while in the phone, I had to take 2 screws (not 1 like said in the video) out to get to this piece and once that second screw came up I didn't get a chance to see where this piece came from because it popped right out. I was extremely nervous but I believe I got it back in properly.

use the iPod opening tool to pry gently under the battery from the outer edge of the phone and work towards the plastic tab. the tab is not actually attached to the battery itself, but a plastic sheet between the battery and inner frame. the adhesive on the battery tends to be under the edge of the battery nearest the center of the phone.

My battery was so firmly glued in, it took a long time to slowly pry it loose. Patience is the key to this process. I could see easily damaging the circuit board by using too much force. The plastic tab did not help at all.

The ribbon cable attaching the new battery to the battery connector clip is longer than the original. I clicked the clip into the socket first and then was very careful to fold the excess while putting the battery back in so the ribbon cable didn't kink. One kink in this could sever the battery leads.

Piece of cake! The hardest part was being sure the outer pentalobe screws were actually turning and I wasn't stripping them. Battery was glued firmly in, so I loosened it from the outside instead of using the plastic pull-tab. I pre-bent the battery connector neck before putting it back in and had no problems with it fitting in. Getting the battery connector aligned with the antenna piece underneath was a bit fiddly. Got the case back on, put in the new screws, and powered the phone on without problem. Had 40% charge, all seems well. Yippee!

Do NOT use a spudger or similar type of prising tool to try lift up the battery. Instead, just warm up the whole area with a hot air gun or hair drier to soften the glue.

The reason why I say don't use an implement to try lift the battery is because far too many times I've seen punctured & bent batteries come in to this workshop that have to be thrown out for safety reasons. It only takes a grain of sand, or a burr on the spudger and you're risking a potential cell rupture and potential fire.

Just use a bit of heat ( not a lot! ) to soften up the glue and it'll come away with the plastic pull tab.

These instructions don't mention putting the 2.5mm screw back in. I found this very challenging because it is so short, so very difficult to line it up to get it back in the hole, and very easy to drop it inside the phone. Take care.

Non problem with reassembly - just took patience - my is that the phone now does not want to charge the battery. It shows taht the battery is dead and charger needs to be connected but does not charge?

What have I not done coreectly - or at least what can I check to determine the problem?

You are right. This is the reason why their is simpler guide: iPhone 4 Battery disconnection to be used when there is no necessity for removing the battery. Disconnection is sufficient for many fixes except replacement of the battery!

Adhesive was holding battery VERY firmly, so during this step I used a hair blow dryer on low setting to carefully heat up the device. Then used the plastic tool to gently but firmly pry up one place on each edge. At first it felt like barely anything was happening, but within a few tries the adhesive gave away easily and the battery came right out.

Before inserting the battery I put the contact clip into position. It has a hooked shape on one side which fits between the socket and the folded battery cable. If you try to position it AFTER the battery is installed the whole process is much more difficult. I used a tweezers to hold it in place while inserting the battery.

When inserting the battery I started by guiding the folded cable into position against the side of the contact clip, then proceeded to lay the battery in position. This made it very easy to have all parts in their original positions -- no need to fiddle with the battery cable or contact clip afterwards.

When pressing the battery connector into the socket, the first time I pressed from bottom to top. That didn't work because there is a little tab at the top of the connector which must fit into a tiny notch or else the connector won't lay flat properly. Pressing the connector from top to bottom worked easily.

Needle-nosed tweezers were very helpful when lining up the screws. After everything was reassembled I tried powering up the device, but the battery had insufficient charge. I plugged it in and immediately the screen displayed a battery with a thin red line (illustrating no charge). After 25 minutes the device sprang to life and indicated a 10% charge. At 70 minutes the battery indicated 30% charge, and at that rate should be fully charged in under 4 hours. It's fixed!!

Ahh! I had a problem here. First two times, I still had no charging and home button,Third time I got it. When putting it the cable back on to the logic board it never sat right. On my third try I heard a click! I finished putting everything else back together and it worked.

unfortunatelly the gold shimmering rubber layer that kept down the cable tore up a bit and one of the gold contact lines is now visible. Will this interfere, is the gold shimmering rubber shielding the cable from the metal or is it "just" rubber that keeps the cable down?

In other word; will I have to replace the gold shimmering rubber layer or can I just turn it back down even if it's a bit torn?

It's time to speak out for your right to repair

Dear Minnesotans,

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We have a chance to guarantee our right to repair electronics—like smartphones, computers, and even farm equipment.
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If you agree with us, find out who represents you in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Tell them you support the bipartisan Fair Repair Bill, HF 1048. Tell them that you believe repair
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